Dancing in the Dungeons
by TheOneAndOnlyEnigma
Summary: What did Severus Snape see? What does Severus Snape fear? Everyone is at risk of floating down there. Who's next? Who is It? Expanded into a little treat for you all!
1. Dancing in the Dungeons

This story was written for the Severus Snape Crossover Week Event on September 1st, 2017 under my Tumblr pen name, 1randomfatdude.

* * *

Lily Evans was walking down to the Dungeons to meet up with her friend Severus Snape. As she turned to walk down the stairs to said dungeons she collided with said friend, who looked to be running for his life.

She fell to the ground with a thump and looked over to Severus as he shot up like a lightning bolt, looking like a frazzled bird washed out from a hurricane.

"Severus? What happened?" Lily asked her friend.

He looked down at Lily, took her hand and picked her up. "Run!"

"What?" Lily looked rather befuddled.

"RUN!" He pulled Lily into a running start. She was confused as to what they were running from, but nevertheless abided by Severus' demands and ran alongside him. They ran all the way up the Grand Staircase, up to the fourth floor where they both stopped to catch their breath.

"Sev," Lily panted. "What happened? What were we running from? Malfoy? Mulciber?"

Severus caught his breath, shook his head, and looked Lily. "I..I don't…I…my father."

Lily turned her head in confusion. "Your father? But he's a muggle! Why would he…"

"I know Lily!" Severus exclaimed, "I know! But…it was him…and at the same time it wasn't…" He leaned up against the railing and slid down it. He curled up against his slender legs. Severus teared up a bit.

Lily went over and knelt in front of him. "I think you should start from the beginning Sev."

Severus took a few deep breaths and started recanting his tale.

* * *

It was after lunch and Severus went down to the dungeons to get his books for the second half of the school day. He reached his and Lily's usual meeting place but found that Lily wasn't there yet, so he decided to sit down, crack open his Potions textbook, and began reading ahead a few chapters about the 'Draught of Living Death.'

Suddenly he heard a bucket being overturned down the hallway. Severus looked to where the noise came from. Instinctively, he pulled out his wand out. "Hello?"

Severus had a feeling it was Potter and his cronies up to no good as usual. "Potter! I know you're there! Come out now! Show yourself!" He demanded of his rival.

Silence filled the hall as not James Potter rounded the corner, but a single solitary red balloon. It floated from the hallway over to the adjoining wall where it stopped. It popped when a whiskey bottle hit the balloon and adjacent wall, shattering into a thousand or so pieces.

Severus smelt the whiskey from he was standing and remembered the distinct, pungent smell. It was the same kind of whiskey that his father drank.

"You little Gobshite!" A loud voice roared from down the hallway corner.

Severus dropped his potions book in fear. It couldn't be. It just couldn't be! He stood there as a figure emerged from the corner. He was tall, broad-shouldered, had a stocky build, and was always in a constant state of inebriated anger. It was Tobias Snape.

He locked eyes with Severus as he turned the corner. "How dare you fuckin' yell at me!? You fuckin' bastard!" He took a swig from another whiskey bottle he had from his hand. "I should have made your whore mother abort you! You're nothing more than a pathetic freak, outside his element!"

Severus was in a panicked state. "You…you can't be here."

Tobias looked at his son. "I am." He wiped his spittle from his mouth and approached Severus.

Severus raised his wand at 'Tobias' and thought aloud. "You're not real! You-You're just a boggart! You're not real! _Riddikulus!_ " He cast the boggart-banishing charm.

The figure before Severus seemed to shudder as the visage of his father flickered to and fro, before settling back as Tobias.

"YOU LITTLE FUCK!" He threw the other bottle at Severus, which winged him on the right side of his head.

He fell down to the hard, damp floor. Severus turned around and shuffled away from the thing before him. 'Tobias' fuddled around with his belt trying to take it off. "GET OVER HERE YOU LITTLE SHIT!"

Severus managed to raise his wand before 'Tobias' took off his belt. He brandished his wand and yelled aloud, "Sectumsempra!"

The imposter flew back to the back dungeon wall and hit it with a resounding thud. Severus was hyperventilating at this point. His teeth gritting together as he slowly got up, his wand still fixed at that thing.

To his surprise, that thing parading around as Tobias got back to its feet, however with one less arm. It looked over at Severus and let out a guttural, near other-worldly roar. Severus took off running down into the dungeons, running away from that creature, whatever it was.

For what seemed like an eternity Severus ran to the Potions Classroom and locked himself in there. He went around looking for Slughorn, but alas the unreliable Head of Slytherin wasn't there.

'BANG'

Severus turned around towards the door.

'BANG'

He immediately looked for a place to hide.

'BANG' 'BANG' 'BANG'

Severus hid away in the supply closet just before the door smashed open. He held his breath and tried to settle his shaking hands.

"You'll float." The Tobias-Imposter spoke. "You all float in the end! Magic or not! You're not special!" His voice began to echo somewhat.

Severus saw the figure of his father clutching his lopped-off arm in his remaining hand walk in front of the closet door, stop, and then continue walking on.

He remained still, wondering if this was just a nightmare. Wondering if this was all in his head.

Suddenly he felt a pair of hands wrap around his neck. Severus turned to face a malevolent looking clown. "Boogity boo! Come with me, and you'll float too!" Severus yelled in terror as the clown bared his unnatural looking teeth. "Your fear makes you taste all the better!" The clown's mouth opened to show several rows of long, sharp, jagged teeth just waiting to chomp, bite, and crunch into Severus' body.

Severus was frozen with shock, and couldn't think. He had to get away. He had to escape, he raised his wand. "Expelliarmus!"

The clown shot back into the jars of potion ingredients as Severus hightailed it out of the closet, and into the classroom.

He heard laughter emanating from the closet and looked back. The clown laughed hysterically as he emerged. His mouth shrank down into an unsettling smile. He pointed at the sink. "Where does that lead?"

Severus wasn't thinking straight, and could not answer the monster.

"It leads down 'there' silly boy! Where you'll end up. Along with all the others! You'll float down there! Everybody floats eventually, so why delay the inevitable!?"

Severus regained his senses and shot over to the door and tried to get it open.

"Leaving so soon?" The clown asked almost tauntingly so. "Well don't let me keep you. Come back anytime! Bring your friends, bring your enemies, bring your family, bring them all! Because there's no escaping me! There's no beating me! There's only me!" He roared in his demented laughter once again as the door came unlocked, and Severus bolted out of the classroom, and away from danger.

* * *

Severus finished telling what had happened to his best friend hoping she'd believe him.

"Sev," Lily began. "I'm not doubting what you went through, but a clown?"

"Lily it happened, and that thing is real!" Severus affirmed.

"Maybe it was Malfoy playing a dirty trick on you?"

He shook his head, "No…I…I didn't tell him about my…my father."

"Potter?"

"No, Lily! I…" Severus sighed in utter defeat. His nerves fried over his recent experience.

Lily sighed, "Well, in any case, you look really shaken up. So, let's head to Madam Pomfrey and have her give you a calming draft."

Severus took a breath and nodded. He got up with Lily as the two of them headed towards the infirmary.

"Hehehehe."

Lily turned her head around wondering where that laughter had come from, but only saw a clown holding a red balloon in front of the third-floor entry way. And saw that clown glare at Lily before walking away into the confines of the third-floor.


	2. Lurking in the Library

Severus made sure to spend as little time in the dungeons as possible after 'that' incident. Which meant he had less time to spend with his friends from Slytherin, and spent more time with Lily.

Which was all right by Lily. She loved having her best friend back, but was not in love with the reason why.

She saw the clown. She didn't know what to think, but she knew that if what Severus had tld her was true…then everyone at Hogwarts was in danger.

And as luck would have it she was proven right. Nearly three days after Severus' encounter with the clown a student had gone missing. A Muggleborn 2nd Year named Richard Blake. Every effort was undertaken to find him, but so far nothing.

"It was that thing," Severus told her. "It took him."

"You can't be so sure Seve…"

"Lily I'm sure!" He interrupted her. They both walked into the library to study for their Herbology test. "We have to find some way to stop it."

Lily looked shocked, "Why?"

"What do you mean why? Cause if we don't that thing is going to take more students…and I can't…I can't lose you."

Lily sighed, she knew that Severus was right. "Why can't we go tell Dumbledore about this?"

"Lily, if we both went up and told him that some sort of shape-shifting clown was terrorizing the school he'd probably throw us both in the loony bin!"

Severus ran a hand through his hair. "I'm wondering if there is anything here that can help us." He got up and started walking over to the bookcases. "Ummm…Lily could you accompany me?"

Lily didn't tease Severus, she just quietly joined him so that they both could look for any texts that could help them.

While they went looking for that. In entered Remus Lupin who was early meeting his friends, The Marauders, to study. Or at least try to study.

Remus put his things down on a table and pulled out his second hand Potions textbook. He opened the book to the page about the 'Draught of Living Death' and began reading.

Severus was looking for a book about dark creatures, "Damn. There's nothing here!" He looked over at the Restricted Section. "Maybe if I could get over there."

Lily leaned on the bookcase trying to remain interested, but was becoming rather bored. That changed when out from the corner of her eye she saw a red balloon enter her view. "S-Severus?"

He looked back over to Lily, and then over to where she was lookin. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at the Red Balloon. "Do you see it?"

"Y-Yeah! I see it Severus!" Lily tried remaining calm.

The Red Balloon seemed to hesitate for a moment before turning the corner away from them.

Severus kept his wits about him as he waited for 'It' to appear. "Keep your eyes open Lily! This thing can appear from out of nowhere!"

Lily shook her head as she pulled her own wand out. "Any spells you know that can affect it?"

" _Riddikulus_ can weaken its image it uses to scare you. _Expelliarmus_ is another one, and I think that 'It' is susceptible to any offensive type of magic as well!"

While Lily and Severus were looking around for 'It' to appear, Remus Lupin was entranced in his studies when from the corner of his eye he saw a Red Balloon float on by and stop right in the seat opposite of him.

He looked right at it. "Well, who do you belong to?" Remus asked to himself.

"Excuse me, Prefect Lupin? I think that belongs to me."

Remus recognized the voice belonging to the missing 2nd Year Hufflepuff. "Richard! Do you have any idea..?" He turned around to look at the horror before him.

Hanging upside down with his lower half missing was Richard Blake. His mid-drift was currently being consumed by a fully transformed werewolf. One that was familiar to Remus, of course it was…it was him.

Remus shot up and backed away. "You…it can't be! You're…you can't be here!"

'Moony' looked over at him. His jaws covered in the blood of Richard Blake, chewing on the flesh of the 2nd Year student.

"Please Remus, can you please give me my balloon?! It floats, just like me! We all float down there! And you will too!" Richard told Remus as if being eaten alive by a werewolf wasn't much of a bother.

Remus was hyperventilating at the sight of him eating Richard alive. 'Moony' looked over at Remus and in one fluid motion ripped out one of Richard's arms.

"Ow," Richard said nonchalantly, as if he was pricked by a thorn.

The werewolf threw the arm over to Remus, as if he was telling him to chow down along with him.

Remus recoiled at the sight and flinched when Richard's arm was flung over towards him. He looked over towards Moony. "…No…"

Moony stopped chewing and turned his head. The Werewolf snarled as it bared its fangs. Rows upon rows of sharp, jagged fangs bit deep into Richard Blake as he took a chunk of flesh out of him. Moony swallowed the chuck and flung the young Hufflepuff over to the side, right into the fiction section.

The body landed five feet away from where Severus and Lily were. She recoiled in fear as Richard Blake looked on. "Hello Lily! Hello Severus! Can you help me stand up? I can't seem to find my footing!" The visage of Richard Blake began to rot away as he laughed on.

Lily dug her face right into Severus' shoulder as she wept in fear.

Remus stood down from his alter-ego. Like Dr. Jekyll staring down Mr. Hyde. "I am nothing like you." Remus took several deep breaths. "I am not you!"

The werewolf began to growl menacingly. Its claws began to grow in size considerably. "You…are…me!" Moony growled back at Remus!

Remus with tears in his eyes lashed out at himself, "FUCK YOU!"

The werewolf charged at Remus overturning a table in his way. Remus dodged the beast as it lunged towards him.

He escaped into the row of bookcases as Moony chased after him. Remus ran into the row where Lily and Severus was. He didn't notice them as he ran in the opposite direction. 'Moony' rounded the same corner, and looked at Severus and Lily.

Lily backed up in fear as the Werewolf pointed at her, "Later!"

Severus instinctively stood between her and 'It.' "Over my dead body!"

The creature cackled as it bared its rows of teeth, "Patience…it's…not…your…turn!" He began to chase after Lupin, leaving the two of them alone for the time being.

"Okay Sev, I believe you fully now! Let's get out of here!" Lily tugged Severus away.

As much as Severus wanted to go with her, he couldn't. "Not yet…I can't believe I'm saying this, but we have to save Lupin! Come on!" Severus led Lily over to the opposite end of the library.

Remus ran for his life from his werewolf alter ego. He heard the beast behind him, and he dared not turn back.

"Hey Remus?" The new voice surprised him and he turned around to see that a Clown had replaced the beast inside. The Clown still had his sharp teeth and claws baring as he charged after Remus. "DOES WEREWOLF TASTE LIKE HUMAN?"

Remus was horrified as he accidentally tripped over his footing. The Clown reached for the Gryffindor prefect as his mouth began to widen. Remus could have sworn he saw a light emanating from its mouth.

" _Sectumsempra!"_ Severus casted his curse at 'It' and its head came off of its body and fell directly into Remus' lap. Remus was frozen with fear as the Clown looked up at him. "Head's up Remus!"

Remus yelled in horror as he threw the head away.

"Yeouch! Watch it!" His body walked around trying to find its head. "Hey Buster! Over here!" The Clown glared at the three students. "Don't get 'ahead' of yourselves! You haven't beaten me! But you bested me this time!"

The clown's body produced Richard Blake's arm, "In fact let me give you a hand!" The Clown began to clap with the discarded arm as he laughed maniacally.

"You'll see! You'll all float down here! They all float down here!"

Severus, Lily, and Remus ran back out of the bookcases into the waiting visage of Madam Pince. "What is the meaning of this?"

The three of them turned back to see the clown was gone. Head and all. They also saw the massive upheaval of the library tables, chairs, books, and bookcases. Severus, Lily, and Remus all looked at each other. "Would you believe us if we told you a killer clown was responsible for all this?" Severus asked Madam Pince.

* * *

It was hours later and Severus, Lily, and Remus were all picking up the mess that was made from their encounter with the creature.

"A killer clown? Really Severus?" Lily asked her best friend as she leaned on the broom given to her.

He shrugged, "It was worth a shot." Severus looked over at Remus who was paler than a bed sheet. "Lupin, are you okay?"

Remus looked over at Severus. "Yeah, I think…I hope I'm okay. Thank you Severus."

"It's okay. I think we'll be okay…for now at least."

Remus looked down at the ground. "I just can't believe that Peter was right."

Lily looked at Remus, "What are you talking about? What was Peter right about?" Severus listened on intently.

"Peter told me for the past several nights he was being stalked by a clown, and we didn't believe him. I didn't believe him."

Severus looked at Lily, and then back at Remus. "Lupin, I think we are going to need to talk with Pettigrew, and soon. Who knows when that thing will strike again?"


	3. Coercing into the Closet

Andrew Sedgewick, a 1st Year from Gryffindor, was making his way from his History of Magic class to his broom flying lessons.

Just like all 1st Year students he got himself lost, the castle, while beautiful, was a bit difficult to navigate at times. As Andrew was looking around for the way back to the staircase, a door opened down the hallway.

"Hiya Andy!"

Andrew stopped when he heard his name being called and looked over to see a clown standing in a nearby doorway.

The clown smiled at him, "Aren't you going to say…hello?"

Andrew looked down at his shoes, and then back up at the clown. "I-I'm not supposed to talk to strangers. Professor McGonagall said so."

The clown shook his head understandingly. "Well that's very wise of Professor McGonagall Andy, very wise indeed!" The clown took off his clown hat and bowed slightly. "I, Andy, am Pennywise, the Dancing Clown!"

Andy nodded, "I'm Andy Sedgewick,"

Pennywise smiled as he put his hat back on. "You see! Now we ain't strangers no more!"

"I-I guess so," Any replied uneasily. "What are you anyway? A ghost?"

Pennywise smiled, "I, am the ghost-est with the most-est! But not quite! I am neither ghost, nor wight! Not a spirit of unimaginable size! Just plain ol' me, Pennywise!" He laughed, and Andrew laughed along with him.

"Why aren't you see through like Sir Nick?"

"I got to keep my color in the afterlife," Pennywise grinned. "Do you want a balloon, Andy?" Clown presented a whole array of colorful balloons for the Firstie.

Andy looked entranced by the balloons, but felt uneasy. "Sorry, but…I need to get to class."

Pennywise looked displeased, but then went back to smiling. "Oh, silly Pennywise! Don't want you getting in trouble with the Professors! Where are you going?"

"Flying Class, with the broomsticks!"

"Oooh flying! What a most pleasant past time! Do you like flying Andy?"

"Not so much," Andy admitted. "I don't like going so fast in the air, that high off the ground."

"Oh! Pennywise understands." The clown's smile grew larger if that was possible. "What about…floating? Yes, do you like floating?"

Andy thought about it, "Yeah I guess. I mean if it is above the ground by a foot or two. And I'm not going too fast."

"Oh good! Then I have just the broom for you! One perfect for floating! Right here inside!" Pennywise looked at Andy. "Would you like it?"

Andy intrigued at the prospect of a new broom stepped closer to the door. "Does it float well?"

Pennywise smiled in an intoxicating sense. "Oh yes Andy! It floats! It floats so well!"

Andy walked closer to the door.

"They all float well. AND YOU'LL FLOAT TOO!" Pennywise grabbed Andy by his forearm and pulled the now entrapped First Year into the room, and shut the door laughing maniacally as he did so. The screams of Andrew Sedgewick were drowned out by 'it's' laughter.

* * *

Remus had gotten Peter to agree to sit down with Severus and Lily. At lunch time the following day they had heard about how Andrew Sedgewick had disappeared as well.

"What year was Andrew Sedgewick in?" Severus asked Lily.

"It was his first year here," Lily said softly.

The two looked up to see Remus and Peter, who looked apprehensive to meet with them.

Remus sat down and looked over to his friend. "It's okay Peter. Severus and Lily want to talk with you…about the clown."

Peter looked at Remus, "You said the clown wasn't real. You, Siri, and James said that…"

"That was until I saw it, Peter. Lily and Severus saw it as well, and that clown is responsible for the disappearance of Richard Blake, and now, Andrew Sedgewick."

Peter gulped. He slowly sat down and looked over at Severus and Lily. "You saw it? Pennywise?"

"I'm sorry, that thing has a name?!" Severus was shocked to hear.

Peter rubbed his arm. "Pennywise, the Dancing Clown. That's what he called himself."

Lily put her hand upon his, she felt that his hands were clammy. "When did you first see it?"

"I-It was a few weeks ago. I first started seeing it out of the corner of my eye. Then the passing glimpses became more and more frequent." Peter took a few breathes. "It started…feeding. It…targeted the Unicorns and Centaurs in the Forbidden Forest."

"That's what happened to the centaur tribe?" Remus asked Peter. "I thought…I thought…Moony…" He looked down at the ground.

"What happened after?" Severus asked Pettigrew.

"It came to me, the night before Richard disappeared."

"What did 'it' do Peter?" Lily asked him. "Please, anything you can remember may be able to help us!"

Remus put his hand on Peter's shoulder, "Go on, Peter."

Peter buckled down and explained what had happened with his encounter with the clown.

* * *

'Three Nights Ago'

Peter was asleep in his bed when he heard a rustling down in the common rooms. He awoke, wondered if it was a couple of students doing some late night studying.

The noise occurred once more, and Peter decided to investigate. Which was rather unlike him, but he was intrigued.

He out on his robe, and slippers and descended down the stairs. To his surprise there was nobody downstairs, but he sworn that he heard something.

"Hello?" Peter called out to the darkness.

And to his surprise the darkness called back.

"Hello Petey." A clown emerged from the shadows of the living room.

Peter recoiled in fear and backed up to the wall. Clowns, why did it have to be clowns?

The clown smiled, "Beep beep Petey!" The clown leapt over the couches, and landed before him.

He slid over to the corner of the wall and curled down away from him.

"Oh don't be afraid! Not yet at least! It's a waste of good fear!" The clown smiled as he stalked Peter. The clown sniffed the air around Peter and smiled. "OOOOOOHHHH! That's some good fear!"

The clown grinned, "It's your lucky day Petey! Ol' Pennywise is gonna let you live…for the time being." Pennywise took out an hourglass, and flipped it over. The sands began slowly pouring down the funnel. "Every child, every morsel…will lead me closer to the Grand finale! Which is you! Oooohhhh, what flavors I'll taste!"

Pennywise grabbed a hold of Peter and ran his tongue over the petrified student's face.

"OOOOHHH! Deliciious! You will be the main course! You'll worth the wait! When the last grain of sand runs down the hourglass…well….simply put…Dinner will be served!"

Pennywise laughed as he backed away from Peter, and retreated into the shadows. "Beep beep, Petey! Remember, you'll float! And you'll float wonderfully!"

Peter remained perfectly still, frozen in fear. Simply put he was petrified, and scared beyond belief.

* * *

Peter finished telling his tale to Severus, Remus, and Lily.

"Well…" Severus tried spinning this in a positive light. "At least we'll know when he's done!"

"Sev!" Lily chided her best friend.

"What? I'm just saying this is a good thing! We know…'Pennywise' is saving Peter for last! Maybe we can devise a trap for that thing."

Peter glanced at Severus, "Do you really think so?"

Severus sighed and rubbed his head. "I mean I can give it a shot, but I need to get into the restricted section of the library. Maybe there I'll find something we can use to kill it."


	4. Death in the Dungeons

A poster of Andrew Sedgewick was disinterestedly placed onto a wall in the dungeons by Ian Mulciber. This was his punishment for getting into a fight with Sirius Black earlier on in the week. He still had half a stack of posters left to place onto the wall, and after that, another stack waited for him in Filch's office.

He put another poster on the dungeon wall and sighed in frustration, the menial task at hand was getting to him.

"Ian."

Mulciber turned his head round to where his name was called. "Hello? Who's that?"

Nothing. Perhaps it was just the wind.

He turned back to the wall and saw that the poster had turned from Andrew Sedgewick's face to his own.

"What the fuck?" The picture was of him his mother had taken of him. Only the visage of his face had rotted away.

"Hahahaha."

Mulciber turned around to the figure of Andrew Sedgewick running down the hallway.

"Hey!" Mulciber dropped the pile of posters and went off after him. "Sedgewick! You little fink! Get back here!"

The 5th Year Slytherin ran after the firstie, following him through the dungeons. The hallways growing dimmer, and darker. Candlelight growing fainter and fainter. Ian Mulciber turned another corner before stopping right in front of a hole in the wall.

The hole was rather big, it looked like it could fit a few people. Mulciber took a closer look and saw that the hole led down into a chasm deeper into the castle.

"What the hell is this?" Mulciber called into the hole. "SEDGEWICK!"

There was no response.

"SEDGEWICK! YOU LITTLE BASTARD! GET BACK HERE NOW!" The Slytherin then caught himself, "Wait why do I care? He's only a little mudblood!"

As he turned to leave, he froze when he spotted a rat sitting on the edge of the wall.

"Egh!" He recoiled in fear as he saw that grotesque thing. He pulled out his wand and hexed the little rat dead. "Filthy little thing." Mulciber turned around to see another rat on the ledge.

"What the ever-loving fuck? Merlin, you things must breed like…oh yeah." He shrugged and simply lopped off the rat's head using his magic.

Then out of the corner of his eye. Another rat appeared. And another. And another. And another.

Mucliber silently panicked as he was surrounded by a horde of rats, diseased, hungry-looking, rats.

Suddenly a rat launched itself onto Mulciber's back, taking a bite out of him. He yelped, threw the rat onto the floor, and stomped the rat until he could feel every single bone break underneath his foot.

This in part must have really pissed off the other rats as they all leaped on Ian Mulciber and began to take large chunks out of the fledgling dark wizard.

"AARRRGGGHHH!" Mulciber screamed in horror as he tried in vain to pull the rats off his body, but for every rat, he pulled off, two more would take its place.

Mulciber fell to his knees as the rat bites were becoming too much for him. The rats now dragging him down into the hole in the wall. He tried in vain to stop them but it was too much. It felt as though the rats were turning into strong arms, pulling him into the wall.

Mulciber in a last ditch effort decided to do what was necessary to survive. He pointed his wand at the group of rats, " _AVADA KEDAVRA_!"

A green light found its target hitting the mass of rats, and they all fell over dead as a doornail. Mulciber caught his breath as he began to get up on his feet but then was quickly taken off his feet once more. He looked over to see a clown protruding out of the hole in the wall.

"Knock knock, float o'clock!" The clown laughed as with one great pull, Ian Mulciber was dragged into the hole in the wall. Bricks covered the hole in the wall, leaving no trace of the misdeeds that have happened.

* * *

Severus first heard about Mulciber's disappearance that afternoon. He was putting up posters of Andrew Sedgewick in the dungeon and ended up missing himself.

Severus was sitting in the hallway upon the steps leading to the Grand Staircase. Lily didn't know what to say. She never liked Mulciber, and Mulciber in turn, did not like her. But he was a close friend of Severus'.

"I'm sorry, Sev."

He looked at her and nodded, "Thanks, Lily."

The two were waiting for Remus and Peter to get out of their class to meet up and strategize on what to do next.

"Oy Snivellus!"

Severus sighed as he rubbed his brow, this was the last thing he needed today.

Sirius Black and James Potter walked over with bad intentions. Lily knew that her best friend was in no mood moved to intercept them.

"Potter, not now." Lily stopped him, and Sirius.

James looked taken aback that Lily was taking such a stance to stand up for Snivellus. "Having your friends fight your battles, Snivellus?"

"Just like the slimy snake you are!" Sirius added in for good measure.

Severus stood up and was about to confront the two when Remus and Peter came down the stairs from the Great Hall.

Remus, sensing the tension in the air, quickly acted to dissolve it. "Knock it off, guys."

Sirius and James looked shocked. "What's with you Moony?"

"Severus and Lily are helping Peter and me with a…problem."

Sirius squinted his eyes, "A…furry little problem?"

"No, no something different…and…evil."

Sirius looked a bit concerned. "What evil? What's going on?" He looked over towards Severus. "What are you doing with my mate Snivelly?!"

"It's Severus."

"What?"

Severus Snape stood tall in front of both his tormentors, no longer afraid, no longer intimidated. "My name is Severus, and what I'm doing with Remus is none of your concern."

He walked over with Lily to where Remus and Peter were standing. James snarled, "Since when did you decide to grow a backbone?!"

"Since I figured out you weren't on the top of the pecking order anymore," His eyes sleekly met James'. "I know this might sound weird, but I sincerely hope you never have to face what we have."

"Oh yeah? And what exactly have you faced?" James challenged Severus. "You-Know-Who's moldy bum?!"

Sirius and he cracked a bellowing laugh.

"Well, the Dark Lord's backside might be an easier challenge. Now if you'll excuse me." Severus went to leave but was stopped by Sirius brandishing his wand. "Hold it Snivelly!"

Remus growled. "Enough!" He yelled at his best friend. "Lower your wand Sirius, or so help me I'll give you so much detention your hands will fall off with the amount of lines you have to write!"

Sirius appeared wounded and lowered his wand. "Moony, I…"

"Don't Moony me, Sirius! Just leave him and Lily alone. Peter and I must go with them to deal with something. And until we deal with it you are to leave them alone! And that's final!"

And before James could respond Remus led Lily, Peter, and Severus away to the Library. Leaving Sirius and James in the dust.

"What the hell just happened?" Sirius asked out loud.


	5. Famous Amos

Amos Diggory, the 5th Year Hufflepuff prefect was still looking for Richard Blake. His fellow bunkmates, students, and even a teacher or two had told him to give it up. But Amos was anything but compliant. He did not want to give up.

He walked up and down the entire castle, checking every room twice, and leaving no stone unturned. He walked up to the third floor once again and started checking each room. This all seemed to be going nowhere. That was until Amos locked eyes right onto Richard Blake, in the middle of the hallway.

Amos looked relieved, "Richie! Oh-oh thank Merlin I found you!"

Richard, on the other hand, didn't seem so relieved. "You left me all alone Amos."

Amos felt his heart drop at what Richard said, "I…I know."

"You left me to go talk to Chea Chadwick! You left me all alone!"

Amos started to feel really down, "I know. And I'm sorry! Please, I'll make it up to you! I'll do anything!"

Amos could almost see a malevolence behind the smile that Richard gave but put it aside as he saw Richard run off.

"Wait! Richie!" Amos raced after Richie. He chased after the fast Second Year into an adjacent hallway. There at the end of the hallway was an open door.

Amos felt uneasy at first but quickly pushed those feelings aside as he rushed into the darkened room. He pulled out his wand and cast Lumos, and at that moment he wished he hadn't.

As he was surrounded by an army's worth of puppets, and ventriloquist dolls. Amos felt his heart drop right own into his stomach.

He wanted to leave. He wanted to run away, but that wasn't an option. Richie was somewhere in here, and Amos was going to find him.

Amos took a step forward into the room and began his search for Richard Blake. He made his way through a number of discarded dolls and dummies. He tried to remain calm, after all. They were just dummies. It's not as if they were going to come alive, or something?

His head shot around as he swore he saw something move. It was nothing. He hoped.

"Richie? Richie, where are you? It's time to come on out!" Amos scouted ahead and saw a small figure in the corner. "Hello? Richie?'

Only it wasn't Richard Blake. "Sedgewick? Is that you?" He caught his breath. "Is this where you and Richie have been hiding? Because…" Amos tapped on Sedgewick's shoulder to get his attention. Andrew's cloak fell off revealing that his back was carved out, leaving room for a handle where his spine should have been.

Amos recoiled in fear as Andrew turned around to reveal his mouth had been torn to resemble that of a dummy's mouth. Amos ran away, only to trip on the leg of a doll. Or so he thought.

He looked to see Richard's lifeless corpse, torn asunder. There were flies dancing around his rotting flesh, as a darkened flow of blood pooled around his body.

Amos Diggory screamed in terror. He got up to run away but found himself in the middle of a sort of web made from puppeteer strings.

He panicked, Amos began to hyperventilate as he tried to find a way out. Soon, his arms got caught in the strings. He flailed about only getting himself stuck more.

'Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr." A snare drum sounded as lights came on, and lit up a stage near the wall of the enclosed room. Amos wondered where the heck that had come from. The drum stopped as a clown came out of an enclosed curtain.

The clown bowed slightly, "Thank you! Thank you! Please don't get up! I know you happen to be 'caught' in the middle of something!" The Clown laughed. "I am Pennywise! And I shall be your entertainment this evening! Well, me and my new friend! Ian Mulciber junior!"

Pennywise pulled out from the curtain the body of Mulciber who had been made into a puppet as well. The clown raised his arm up Mulciber's back and worked the handle to bring Mulciber to life.

The Slytherin's eyes looked all around, and up and down. His whole head moved unnaturally, such as a puppet would.

"Say hello Mulciber!" Pennywise grinned.

"Hello Mulciber!" Mulciber said back to the clown.

Pennywise cackled, "No silly! Say hello to the audience!"

Puppet Mulciber looked over at Amos, "It's just Famous Amos!"

"Ohh, Famous Amos? How'd he get that nickname?"

"Well, he's popular for being on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team! That's why! Also, the professors didn't like his first nickname!"

"Which was?"

"Amos the Anus!"

Pennywise and Puppet Mulciber both laughed at Amos' expense as the Hufflepuff Prefect tugged at the strings, trying to escape.

"Famous Amos! The heinous anus!" Mulciber cackled.

"Oh! It looks like we scared our guest Mulciber!" Pennywise feigned a concerned look.

"Well, he shouldn't be! He has a backbone, unlike yours truly!" Puppet Mulciber howled with laughter.

"Oh, come now Mulcie! I think we should help calm him down!" Pennywise smiled. "How about you recite your poem?"

"Okay okay, you talked me into it!" Mulciber looked over at Amos. _'Abra Cadabra, I sit on his knee! Presto, change-o! You'll float, you'll see! Hocus Pocus, he'll eat you with bread! Magic is fun…we're dead.'_

Pennywise threw Puppet Mulciber aside and charged at Amos. His mouth open wide to shows rows upon rows of sharp jagged teeth.

Amos managed to get his wand. "Lumos Maxima!" A magnanimous flash of light blinded Pennywise.

"OH! You accursed Badger! You've blinded me!" The clown screamed.

Amos quickly cut himself down from the strings and ran for the door, barely making it out of the room before the doors shut with a resounding 'slam!'

* * *

Remus and Severus had spent the entire Saturday night in the library looking through every single book. Looking for an explanation as to what Pennywise might be. However, their search came to a dead end.

Remus had the foresight to 'borrow' James' invisibility cloak. He went into the restricted section in search of tomes and books.

Severus stayed behind to read over the manuscripts and kept his guard up as he did so.

His eyes would always read a paragraph or two before doing a brief scan of the library to make sure Pennywise didn't show up again.

Severus scrolled through the text before him and then looked up.

"Peek a boo! I see you!' Pennywise appeared before Severus with a smile.

Severus leaped up to his feet with his wand drawn.

"Oh please, what are you going to do? Kill me? Hmm?" Pennywise walked around the table. His eyes darted over the documents and books laying on the table. "Decapitate me again? Because we both know you…"

Pennywise's head came off with a resounding, authoritative, curse from Severus. The Slytherin in question slowly walked over to see the damage done but found no body.

Pennywise snuck up behind him, snatched his wand out of his hand, and grabbed him by the throat. "I really need to learn to watch what I say, but then again words are invisible." Pennywise bared its teeth at Severus. "Now, I simply wish to talk. Can you do that while you resist the urge to lop my head off?"

Severus was thinking of a way out of this. "Can you resist the urge to drive those teeth of yours into me?"

Pennywise grinned, "I can." He let go of Severus and threw his wand to the other side of the room.

They both slowly sat at an adjacent table. Remus was coming back from the restricted section underneath the invisibility cloak. He saw Pennywise accosting Severus and was about to act when they both agreed to sit down. Remus took the chance to retrieve Severus' wand. He put the invisibility cloak on once more and tip-toed over to it.

Pennywise grinned at Severus. "You…are not like most of my prey. You are different, and for me, different is bad news."

"What do you want?" Severus demanded of the clown.

"To the point, I want to make a deal with you."

Severus raised his eyebrow, "A deal?"

"You should be honored, I never make deals…until now."

Severus looked at Pennywise. "What's the deal?"

"Stop now, and I'll leave you and the Ginger one alone."

Severus weighed the option. This entire operation was to keep Lily safe.

"You and her can go through this relatively unscathed. Then you two can grow old, and thrive, and live haaaaapppy liiives! Until the two of you return to the dust, and the weeds!"

Severus looked down at the desk, "What of Lupin and Pettigrew?"

Pennywise drooled at the mention of Peer. 'No! Their fates are sealed. They are mine! The morsel, the wolf, the shaggy one, and the coward!" Pennywise cracked his neck. "You don't have to say anything now. I shall give you a week. Have your answer ready then."

Severus raised his head to interject, but Pennywise was gone.

Remus could only imagine what was going through Severus' head. Severus himself had no idea how to act. For now, they were safe, just for now.

Severus sighed as he caught his breath, "Did you hear that?"

Remus took the cloak off, "Yeah. So, what now?"

"Now, we have about a week to prepare. Hopefully, we'll have something prepared to fight him then."

The werewolf smiled softly and handed Severus his wand. "Thank you."

"Well, that thing probably would find some way to wriggle out of any deals made. Otherwise, I might have taken it."

"Gee thanks," Remus sarcastically remarked.


End file.
